


Part of your Symphony

by FueetasticDreamer



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Afterglow, Band Swap, Drama, Friendship, Gen, Music, Musicians, Roselia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22109092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FueetasticDreamer/pseuds/FueetasticDreamer
Summary: Afterglow and Roselia had been a rival band for quite some time, trying to come out on top as the best band there was. Moca Aoba, the guitarist from Afterglow, didn't fully understand the rivalry, but still went along for the ride, and did what she could to support her teammates.However, things take a turn for the worse when Roselia's guitarist, Sayo Hikawa, ends up getting sick, right as they're preparing for an upcoming concert. Moca decides to take it upon herself to join Roselia as a temporary guitarist, to hopefully understand the band better, and to help her friend Lisa Imai in time of need.Moca struggles with getting the other band members, mainly Yukina Minato, to trust her and not think ill intentions. Moca is also unsure how to break the news to her band Afterglow, if she should at all.
Relationships: Aoba Moca & Hikawa Sayo, Aoba Moca & Imai Lisa, Aoba Moca & Minato Yukina, Aoba Moca & Mitake Ran
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off an entry off Bandori Amino (BandSwappingChallenge). Also, this story takes place before the events of Neo-Aspect and was written before Steadfast Pride Piercing Sunset became available in EN.

It was supposed to be a typical day at the Circle studio, the same as always, but that didn't happen, not yet anyways. Ran Mitake and Moca Aoba made it earlier than the rest of their group.

"Ah, Moca, you're here too? And so soon?"

"That's right; I figured I'd go in my Sunday best. I'm quite proud of myself." Moca bragged, with her hands on her hips.

"You're wearing the same as you always do." Ran pointed out. "And you don't normally-"

"You could say I'm wearing the same as-"

"Drop it. Shall we go inside?"

"Yep."

The duo headed in as soon as they could. Entering the building, their eyes widened upon finding a woman had beaten them to the counter.

Her name was Yukina Minato, and she finished talking with Marina from behind the desk.

Ran's body stiffened upon seeing her, as she looked around the place to avoid ete contact. Moca, on the other hand, walked over to her and gave her a small greeting.

"Minato-san, hello there!"

"Ah, hello Aoba-san." Yukina replied with a wave, still keeping her calm expression.

Ran muttered under her breath, neither Moca nor Yukina could tell what she said, or even if she directed it at someone specifically.

"I don't have much time for pleasant chitchat, I have to go practice." Yukina said coolly, as she headed off. "Excuse me."

Ran and Moca walked over to the counter to talk to Marina about reservations.

"Welcome girls." She greeted them, with a hopeful tone.

"We'd like to reserve a room to practice in." Moca replied.

"Ah, sorry," Marina lowered her head and muttered. "But the rooms are currently full."

_Drat, did Minato-san beat us to the punch? I can't believe she of all people stole our last spot._

Ran clicked her tongue and turned away. Moca glanced at her, unsure of what her friend was thinking, or what to do about it.

"When is the next room available?"

"If you don't mind, you can always wait for a couple of minutes." Marina suggested.

"Sure thing." Moca replied with a firm nod. "We're waiting for our friends to show up anyway."

"That's good." Ran sighed, seemingly out of her funk. "Even here, why does it feel like I lost?" She asked herself.

"Ran, it's not a big deal. There's no need to hold a grudge against her. I'm sure she has her reasons for-"

"I'm not holding grudges, especially not towards her."

"Oh, ok, if you say so."

_Ran, maybe it's just me, but why do I feel like you're not being honest with me?_

.-.-.-.

A day or so passed since then; meanwhile, at a small time cafe, Yukina and her childhood friend Lisa Imai rested under a parasol. The two sat comfortably as they looked over at a menu over what drinks to get. The sunlight shone bright as they cooled under the shades.

"See? What did I tell you?" Lisa inquired with a wink. "Isn't it nice to go out like this every once in a while?"

"Yeah." Yukina replied and nodded. "This does feel nice, it's a good change of pace."

"Right? You got to appreciate the little things, not focus too hard on practice all the time." Lisa pulled up the menu and carefully examined the items. "So, anything you see that catches your fancy?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure what I want. I think I'll take something small, like a glass of water."

"Come on Yukina, lighten up, this will be my treat. It's not like we're practicing music today."

"I guess that's true." Yukina smiled to herself. "In that case, I might get some frozen yogurt after all."

"Now you're talking! Hmm, I might get the same thing..."

As they looked the menu over what to get, Yukina noticed an older woman approaching them, she had a flyer and a small card in her hands. She appeared to be older if her height and voice were any indication.

"Excuse me, are you by chance Yukina Minato and Lisa Imai of Roselia?"

"Yes, that's us," Yukina replied. "Why do you ask? Do you need something from us?"

"I hope I'm not bothering you girls; I have a proposal for you, if you're interested."

"What do you have in mind?"

"You see, I'm one of the staff members in charge of this local event coming up: Sunkissed International Festival, or SIF for short. We were wondering if you'd like to participate."

_SIF?_

"That sounds adorable." Lisa cooed. Her expression dropped upon seeing Yukina's face hardened.

"We'll consider it," Yukina replied. "We'll let you know what our response is."

"Excellent." The lady handed her a card and a flyer. "Let us know what your response is before the due date, ok?"

"Sounds good."

Once the women left, Lisa gave her a confused glance.

"Yukina? What was that about?"

"This isn't something you should talk lightly about." Yukina admitted, crossing her arms. "This is a big deal, one of the most important events we need to go to. A lot of people will be there, including producers from other events, like Sweet Music Shower."

"That does sound like a big deal!"

"But first, I wanted to discuss this with the other band members first. I can tell you more details then."

"Alright, that sounds good."

"Sorry, Lisa, but I'm getting the water after all, I'll need to practice my singing when I get back."

"Aw man. Well, alright then."

.-.-.-.

"SIF?" Rinko Shirokane inquired.

She, Sayo Hikawa, and Ako Udagawa were practicing in the studio, when Yukina and Lisa informed them about what they learned the other day.

"Yes, to put it bluntly, this is one if the last ones prior to SMS, one of the biggest, most elite events ever."

"SMS, I feel like I've heard it before." Sayo crossed her arms and muttered.

"It's the competition that has put lots of well known bands into WorldFes."

"So, if we do well in SIF, and gain enough attraction, we could get asked to participate in the SMS, which will put us one step closer to WorldFes."

"Precisely."

Ako gasped. "That sounds amazing! Are we prepared for it?"

"I am." Yukina nodded. "However, I won't accept unless everyone else is okay with it. So, what are your answers?"

"When does the event start?" Sayo inquired.

"About two weeks from now, we should have plenty of time to practice and come up with a good set list."

"Sounds good, I have no objections then."

"I'm all for it!" Ako exclaimed, determined. "We've come this far already, there's no way we're backing down now!"

"Um, I agree. If possible, I want to give it a shot." Rinko added. "I want to show everyone how far we've come."

"Seems like everyone agrees." Lisa chirped. "We should let that woman know next time we see her."

.-.-.-.

A day or so had passed since then. The group from Afterglow chatted the day away as they headed toward the Circle studio.

Once they entered, the first thing the five that caught their eyes were Roselia. Yukina finished talking with Marina, while Lisa, Ako, and Rinko waited patiently on the sidelines.

"Eh? They got practice again?" Himari questioned.

"Well, they are a devoted band." Tomoe replied, crossing her arms.

"Minato-san," Ran said, her glare hardened. "Did you steal our spot again?"

Yukina turned to her and crossed her arms. "That wasn't our intention, we happened to be here before you. Is there a problem?"

"A coincidence, huh?"

"You guys seem more determined than usual." Moca pointed out.

"Of course," Yukina mentioned. "We plan on making it to the top, and intend to lose to anyone, not even you."

"Same here." Ran retorted.

"Huh?" Tsugumi noticed something off about them. "Where's Sayo-san? Is she not with you today?"

"That's not part of your concern." Yukina shook her head. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have practice to take care of."

The girls from Roselia walked away from them, just like that. The group's heads appeared to be lowered as their spirits seemed to have been drained, but the girls of Afterglow couldn't picture what.

Not long after, Moca's phone rang out loud from her pockets. She reached down to pick up her phone and look over at the message she received from Lisa. Her eyes widened upon finding what it said.

"Uh, Moca?" Himari spoke up. "What's the matter?"

"It's about Hikawa-san, apparently she's sick!"

The rest gasped. "What?"

"It says, 'No need to worry though, I'm sure she'll get better in no time. It's Sayo after all. I appreciate your concerns though.'" Moca read.

"Poor Sayo though." Tsugumi said, as she hung her head. "I hope she's doing alright. I should make her something special for her when I get back."

"Well, there's not much we can do about it." Ran muttered.

"Yeah, I'm sure she wouldn't want us to bother her at this time." Tomoe added with uncertainty. "All we can do is wish her the best."

"Besides, like Minato-san said, it's not our business."Ran added. "We don't know her either."

"Ran, don't say it like that!" Himari shouted, almost offended by her choice of words.

"What other way is there to say it though? She should be fine, we don't need to worry too much about it."

The Afterglow members headed over to reserve the now empty spot. Moca couldn't help but get lost in thought.

_So, they're down a member for today. Lisa-san, Minato-san, the others, will they be ok? Will their practice be the same as always? Huh, I wonder, if there's something I can do to help both parties, if possible._


	2. Chapter 2

_*Flashback*_

Rehearsal had gone by without a hitch for Roselia, as everyone played their parts exceptionally well. Yukina planned to create a setlist of songs for them to play and practice for the big event coming up.

Pretty soon, everyone went their separate ways for the day as they planned to give it their all during future practices and the concert coming soon.

Sayo got home in no time at all and headed straight toward her room first thing. She took out her guitar and continued to strum on the strings. It was the perfect amount of quiet and peaceful for this atmosphere in her room.

"Onee-chan! Hello!" A chipper tone and the slamming of the door interrupted Sayo's concentration.

She glanced over and sighed. "Hina, how many times have I told you to not do that?"

"Aw, but I haven't seen you all day, and you went straight to your room."

"I wanted to take some time to practice, now what is it you want?"

"I want to talk to you about how my day went, and I wanna hear how yours went also!"

Sayo couldn't help but smile, but tried to hide it from her. "A little later, if you don't mind."

"Don't you at least want to have dinner?"

"Well, eating is essential for one's health." It didn't take long for Sayo to think about her answer. "Alright, I don't see why not, you can tell me about your day during that time."

"Really? Yay!" Hina cheered.

Sayo knew it wouldn't hurt to take a small break, she would make sure to make up and practice when she got back. Hopefully.

_*End Of Flashback*_

.-.-.-.

"Eh? Sayo-san is sick?" Ako questioned, her eyes widened upon noticing the text on her phone.

The girls were about to head to practice at the studio, but waited for Sayo to show up first.

"Oh, it appears so," Lisa replied, her head hung low. "I have the memo on my phone too."

The girls each checked the text Sayo gave each of them.

"Sorry everyone, but I caught something terrible. I'm not sure if it's because I didn't get enough sleep last night, or if I ate something bad. Regardless, I don't feel good to practice and need to take the day off. Feel free to practice without me; I'll catch up later."

"Aw man, poor Sayo..." Lisa said, with her head hung low.

"Um, what do we do about our practice?" Rinko asked, squeezing her arm.

"It's simple; we continue without her," Yukina stated bluntly. "It's as she said, it's only one day. Besides, she can make up for it when she gets back."

Ako groaned softly; she remembered the last time the group practiced with a member missing; it wasn't a fun or progressive experience, to say the least.

She prayed with all her heart that Sayo would get better quickly, especially before the day of the concert.

Rinko exchanged a worried glance, thinking the same thing. They both hoped today would go smoothly for the band.

.-.-.-.

Eventually, night fell. Sayo rested in her room, the heat got to her as her body ached and grew sore. She had a few ideas on why she didn't feel the best. Sayo personally blamed herself for her failures to realize it until she was too late.

Hopefully, the other band members had done fine without her. She glanced over at her guitar and case and sighed.

_I can't believe this happened, and when we have a deadline to take care of too..._

A soft knock hit the door as it creaked open.

"Onee-chan, we got visitors!" Hina cried.

Sayo groaned as she tried to get up from her bed. "Hina, how many times have I told-?" Her expression changed once Tsugumi and Moca walked inside.

"Hello, Sayo-san." Tsugumi greeted, with bags in her hands. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing fine."

"Onee-chan, you shouldn't sit up like that," Hina brought up. "You're not feeling well, remember?"

"It's not I'm severely injured or anything," Sayo muttered and turned. "Hazawa-san, you didn't have to check on me though."

"But I wanted to, so here." She pulled out a container and handed it to her. "I made this for you, my family and Eve-chan helped me out on it. It's a special drink that's designed to help fight off illnesses."

Sayo lightly shook the container to hear the sloshing of the contents inside. She opened and took a small sip before giving off a small smile.

"This isn't so bad, I appreciate the effort."

Tsugumi giggled and clasped her hands together. "I'm glad you like it."

"I see, in that case, tell them they have my thanks." Sayo smiled at her, but paused when noticing Moca next to her. "Ah, are you a friend of Hanazawa-san?"

Moca blinked, snapped out of her thoughts. "Yep, that's me. I'm Moca Aoba. I'm here on behalf of my good friend."

"Ah, so you're the one Imai-san talks about sometimes."

"You mean she's told you girls about me? I'm so flattered." Moca briefly paused. "Ne, I was wondering, did Lisa-san come to check on you too?"

"Yeah, you just missed her. Despite what I told Imai-san, she insisted on coming over. She even brought me some snacks that she made herself."

"That sounds like her, alright. Are they any left?"

"Moca-chan, I'm pretty sure they're not for you." Tsugumi pointed out.

"I know, Moca-chan was joking."

As they continued talking, Moca couldn't help but look around Sayo's room. That was when she glanced at something that caught her eye: A guitar case.

"Oh, you also play guitar?" Moca brought up.

"Yeah, that's right," Sayo replied, her head hung low. "Hina thinks I got sick from spending too long practicing last night."

"I don't think, I know!" Hima proclaimed from the sidelines.

"Wait, Aoba-san, are you also a guitarist by chance?"

"That's right; I'm practically a pro at it!"

"I see."

_This is interesting, that changes a lot of things._

"Aoba-san?"

"Eh? Did you need something from the Great Moca-chan?"

"What?"

"Don't mind her, Sayo-san," Tsugumi told her, "She sometimes acts like that."

"Ok? Well, anyways, thanks for checking on me, I should be better by tomorrow."

"It's no problem!" Tsugumi chirped. "Right, Moca-chan?" Moca stayed silent as she stared at something. "Moca-chan?"

"Oh, I'm fine. It was nice meeting you too ma'am."

As they exchanged farewells, Hina escorted the duo out. Tsugumi glanced at Moca, and couldn't help but wonder.

_I'm not sure if something is up with Moca-chan or not. I'm certain it's either my imagination or not that big a deal though..._

_Huh, Hikawa-san with a mask reminds me of the time Tomoe tried to make a manga..._

.-.-.-.

A day or two passed since then, as Moca, along with Lisa, did their shifts at the convenience store. They took turns taking care of business until they had break.

"Ne, Lisa-san, how is your friend doing?" Moca asked out of the blue.

Lisa gave her a sad smile, but looked away. "I haven't heard from her since. I don't think she's a hundred percent yet."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. How'd practice go the other day?"

"Wasn't the worst, but it wasn't the best either. It's not the same with only four people."

_I know what it's like now. I feel their pain._

"I had a feeling something was up, you didn't seem to be your usual Lisatacular self."

"So, you noticed, huh? Thanks for checking up on me."

"No problem, what are your plans after work today?"

"Probably meet up with Roselia for another practice round?"

"Eh?" Moca blinked and tilted her head. "Didn't you already have one the other day?"

"Well," Lisa turned to the sides and leaned over to whisper to her friend. "We have something big planned in a couple weeks and need to prepare. Sayo told us to go without her for the time being. She'll have to catch up later. I hope we can manage." She whispered the last sentence to herself, but Moca managed to pick that up.

"Ah, I see." Moca crossed her arms and sighed. Lisa could tell something was on her mind, but didn't get the chance to ask when Moca spoke up again. "Lisa-san?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"What do you think about the idea of me joining your band?"

"...Huh? What about Afterglow? Handling twobands will be difficult for you, won't it?"

"Afterglow means a lot to me, I won't deny it. I know it will be hard, but we don't have practice this week. And Hikawa-san should be better by then."

"Well, that's what we're hoping anyways."

"Is that alright with you, Lisa-san?"

"Well, if it's only temporarily, then I'd love to play beside you. But, I don't have the final say. I'll talk to the others about it during practice, and see what they think of the idea. But, keep in mind Moca, we might not let you in, especially knowing Yukina..."

_Oh, that's right. Minato-san took music seriously. At least, according to Ran. Now that I think about it, it reminds me of someone. Good thing we don't have practice for the time being. That'd be awkward if I have to choose between the bands to practice in. But, if Hikawa-san gets better quickly, I don't have to worry about telling the others about it... right? Should I tell them though? I know it's bad when we keep secrets from each other, but I don't know how they would react, especially Ran. Maybe I should-_

"Moca, you alright?"

"Uh, yeah. I still want to give it a shot regardless."

"Ok, I'll see what I can do!"

.-.-.-.

The girls of Roselia took a break from their practice and rested by the small cafe outside the studio. Everyone but Yukina ordered some form of ice cream or sweet treat. Yukina would rather focus on the task at hand, and wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her throat. Plus, she also was processing the information Lisa told her.

"Are you serious?" Ako questioned, having a bite out of her ice cream.

Lisa nodded slowly. "I know the idea of getting a replacement sounds rough for you, but I'm curious to what you think."

"No, I'm against it," Yukina stated, bluntly. "We don't need another member."

"Don't you want to give her a chance at least? I heard her play, Moca's guitar skills are incredible."

"You're forgetting something, she's also a member of Afterglow, our arch enemy."

"Eh? They're our enemy?" Ako asked, letting the ice cream drip off her cup.

"I think she's referring to bands." Rinko brought up, sipping her drink.

"Well, it's true we have to be the best band we can be... even if we got to go against my sister."

"Ako-chan?"

"It's nothing! Ah, my ice cream!"

"Why does Aoba-san want to join so badly, anyway?" Yukina asked, not letting this go.

"I think it's cause I told her about Sayo's predicament," Lisa replied with a sigh. "She seemed to feel bad for us."

"We don't need her pity. Besides, how do we know she's not an undercover spy from Afterglow?"

"You mean like a double agent? That sounds ridiculous. Moca is not that kind of girl who would do something like that. I should know, she's my best friend."

"If you trust her, then so do I!" Ako exclaimed with a confirmed nod. "My sister is also part of the band, and she's so cool and kind. She'd never join a band with jerks or liars."

"If Imai-san and Ako-chan are okay with it, then so am I," Rinko added.

Yukina raised an eyebrow. "Rinko, are you sure you're ok with that decision?"

"Well, not really. But you don't trust Aoba-san."

"I'd like to hear Moca play for us at least." Ako murmured.

"Ako-chan, that's it! Ah, sorry for the yelling. Um, remember when and how we joined Roselia?"

"Huh? Yeah, we got to audition for it."

"Great suggestion Rinko," Lisa chimed in. "We'll do the same thing for Moca. That way, you can see just how passionate she is about music."

Ako gasped. "Why didn't I think of that? You're both geniuses!"

"Ahaha, I wouldn't go as far as to say that. But still, Moca may act lazy, but she's a hard worker, and takes her job and her band seriously, just like you do, Yukina."

Yukina's eyes narrowed slightly, she sighed afterward. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the idea. I suppose we can give it a try after all."

"That's great to hear." Rinko smiled at the comments. "We have Imai-san to thank for this."

"What are you talking about?" Lisa winked. "You're the one that implemented the idea in my brain."

"T-thank you very much!"

Lisa's face perked up. "Thank you guys, I'll be sure to let Moca know the perfect time and date to do this."

"Just remember, she only gets one chance on this. No later than the day Sayo gets better." Yukina warned her.

"Yep, you got it."

_Good luck Moca, looks like you might get your chance after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a while, I struggled with writing certain scenes in this.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, in the afternoon, Moca relaxed at home, watching a text war go on between Himari and Ran.

"Come on, you guys." Himari insisted. "We don't usually hang out like this, the three of us, isn't there anything you want to talk about?"

"Nothing comes to mind." Ran replied, bluntly. "Why not the same as we always do?"

"Hehe, Ran strikes again." Moca chuckled to herself.

"Come on, isn't there anything interesting going on you want to discuss?" Himari continued. "Ah! How was your flower gathering today?"

"Not bad."

"How has your day been so far?"

"Not bad, the same as always."

"Man, you're hopeless."

"What? I replied. I don't see anything wrong with how I responded. You got a problem with that?"

"No! I... sigh, never mind, Ran. But it's nice to know things are going well over there."

"Actually, now that you mention it, I was thinking about when we should practice again."

"Eh?" Moca sat up straight from the couch and stared at the screen. "No, we should save that for when everyone is here. Tomo-chin and Tsugu should know about it too." She typed at a breakneck pace.

"That's true." Ran replied, then paused at something. "Wait, why are you getting riled up Moca?"

"I wasn't."

"You've been quiet for a while now. Is something up?"

"No, I like seeing you interact, is that so wrong?"

"That's definitely something she'd do," Himari added.

That was a close call.

Moca's phone vibrated from her hands, causing her to nearly drop them. She checked her message, and her eyes widened upon noticing what it said.

"Sorry, but I got to go," Moca told them.

"Eh, where are you going?" Himari asked.

"Let's just say, I have somewhere I need to be. I got errands to do as well."

Moca put her phone away as she grabbed her guitar case, a loaf of bread, and headed out of the door.

.-.-.-.

Moca had been training for this day for a while now. Well, technically, it was about an hour or so, but it felt long.

After getting home from talking to Lisa the other day, she dedicated her time to listen to the songs performed at Roselia concerts online. Moca listened to each song and tried to practice them on her guitar. It wasn't much, but she had to show her devotion and dedication.

It was the least she could do to show how much she appreciated music and her best friend.

Moca didn't like running, but she didn't want to waste time either. She hurried over to the Circle studio in record time. Once she eventually made it, she panted and tried to catch her breath.

"Moca, you made it!" Lisa chirped. Her expression faded upon seeing her tired state. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Moca replied, her throat getting dry. Her eyes widened upon finding the rest of the girls staring at her. "Eh? You guys aren't practicing?"

"We were while waiting for you," Yukina replied. "But, if you aren't feeling it, we can always postpone this for another day."

"No, it's alright. I'm ready."

"Well, at least we know you got the message ok." Ako brought up. "Not gonna lie, this feels nostalgic. Trust me, I've been there before, you got this!"

"G-good luck," Rinko whispered.

Yukina crossed her arms. "So, you know why you're here then. You play one song and we judge your performance. If one of us deem it not on par with our performance, you go straight home, no questions asked."

"I got it." Moca nodded. "Moca-chan will show you how great her skills are!"

"We'll see about that."

Moca took out the guitar out of her case and stood in the center of the room. She picked a song from the laptop and closed her eyes, thinking about why she was here and what she hoped to accomplish. Breathing in and out.

Moca glanced at Lisa one more time, as she sighed again. With fire and determination in her eyes, she began to play and shred her instrument.

Lisa clasped her hands and prayed it would go well. Yukina's eyes widened upon hearing the piece.

_What's this feeling? I know I've heard Afterglow play before, but not like this. Have they improved? Has Aoba-san gotten better than the last time I heard her?_

She couldn't picture or describe it clearly, but something touched her deep inside. It was almost as if they got transported to another dimension and life flashed before their eyes.

Yukina glanced at Rinko and Ako to see how they'd react; they had similar reactions as well.

By the time Moca finished, she nearly caught her breath. The room got quiet as tension permeated in the air as the silver-haired girl tried to steady her heartbeat. Everyone stared at her in silence as their expressions grew severe. Did she not pass?

"See?" Lisa spoke up, breaking the silence. "What did I tell you? Isn't she great?"

"Yeah, that was superb," Rinko replied.

"Incredible!" Ako added. "It was almost like you're already part of the group."

"Aw, you're sweet." Moca couldn't help but chuckle. "Go on..."

Yukina sighed in defeat. "I suppose I owe you an apology; I clearly underestimated your abilities."

"Eh? Does that mean...?"

"Yes, you're in. Congrats."

"Yay, you made Moca-chan happy."

"Remember what we agreed on though, you're here until Sayo gets back."

"Yeah, yeah, now let's get to practicing."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but don't get cocky."

As the others celebrated and welcomed their temporary new member, Lisa placed a hand on her friends shoulder.

"Yukina, thanks."

"Don't mention it. Lisa, did you also tell her about the concert?"

"Maybe, why do you ask?"

"No, it's nothing."

The group continued their practice, now with a temporary new member in tow. Despite being a skilled guitarist, Moca's playing sounded different from Sayo, not to mention, the whole band. She still did her best to match the sound of the others.

"Aoba-san, you need to pace your tempo better, so it matches with our performance," Yukina told her.

"Hai."

"Mind slowing down at this part? I'd like to practice more here." Rinko said.

"Hai, hai."

"Hey, Moca-chi, let's play together," Ako added. "I'm sure our sound would be amazing!"

"How will that help us in the long run?" Yukina inquired, crossing her arms.

"Well, that could inspire me to try out different tunes!"

"Ohh, I like the idea," Moca replied. "You could help me with my bands sound as well."

"Can we please focus on our trouble spots?" Yukina inquired, she sighed.

Without Sayo, she had to play the straight man for the rest of the group. She needed to get to their goal, no matter what. But how?

_I'm starting to regret this decision._

"Hmm, Yukina, what's wrong?" Lisa asked out of concern.

"Nothing, I need to use the restroom, excuse me." Yukina brushed off and walked away. "Continue practicing your parts until I get back, then we can start again from the top."

"You got it!" The rest exclaimed.

Once their leader left, Moca lowered her head in silence, but the rest stayed fairly optimistic about the predicament.

Lisa walked over and patted her friend on the back. "So, how are you liking your first day here?"

"It's going well, you all seem like cool people to hang out with." Moca glanced at the floor. "I can see why you're good friends with them."

"Hmm? Moca, is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine. I think I need to use the restroom as well."

"Ah, ok. Don't take long~."

"I won't."

.-.-.-.

Yukina left the stall and sighed. She walked over to the sink to slowly wash her hands as her mind drifted. Things hadn’t been the same with Sayo missing. Even with a temporary replacement, something felt off about their practices; it didn’t feel like their complete Roselia anymore.

The vocalist snapped out of her thoughts as the hot water scorched her hands, and quickly opted to turn the tap off. Yukina glanced at the mirror one more time, before going to dry her hands. After that, she turned to move towards the door, but at that moment it swung open, and who else would stroll in but the replacement guitarist?

"Oh, Minato-san, I was looking for you."

"Aoba-san, how odd to see you here. I was just about to leave." Yukina crossed her arms. "You were looking for me?"

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you. I can feel your voice when we play together, you have that something that I don't get from Ran."

Yukina didn't know how to feel, she wasn't sure if she needed this, especially from her of all people. But, she also knew it'd be rude to not reply at least.

"Thank you. Despite a few hiccups here and there, you play incredibly well."

"Oh? That means a lot coming from you. Your performance and teamwork is simply Minastounding!"

"I agree- wait, excuse me?"

"Yeah, Yukinamazing sounds better. I didn't expect to see you shocked by that."

"Forget about that." Yukina shook her head in disbelief. "I was thinking of talking to you privately to be honest."

"Eh, you want to have a heart to heart? I knew you couldn't stay away, I got that aura Lisa-san likes."

"I have a feeling there's a catch. Why did you really want to join?"

Moca's smile faded; she looked away. "So, you knew I had other intentions." She glanced back at Yukina. "But then, why'd you let me join? You're the leader, right?"

"If Lisa trusts you, then so do I."

"Yeah, that's the truth. Lisa-san told me how bad practice was; it crushed her spirits. I wanted to do something for her, since she's been there for me."

"So, you're also concerned about her."

"Lisa-san told me about you." Moca brought up. "You're her childhood friend, right? She's important to us, and has been there for us too."

Yukina's face flushed as she looked away. "Well, I wouldn't have gotten far without her, that's for sure. We have more in common than I initially thought, I'm amazed."

"Hmm? I couldn't quite hear you, can you speak up?"

"It's nothing, forget it."

"Aww..."

_Weird, why is it that I can talk to her about this stuff, but not with my friends? I wish I could... no, I shouldn't focus on that now._

"Let's get back to practice, shall we?" Yukina offered with a smile.

"Yeah!"

.-.-.-.

Practice continued as always, Moca had gotten a little better at playing with the other members. Soon, the group took a break and talked pleasantries, Moca glanced at Yukina, who looked at something from her phone and left briefly.

"Does Minato-san...?"

"Ah, so that's it." Lisa interrupted. "Don't worry, she may act like that, but her heart is in the right place. As her childhood friend, I would know."

"Huh? Did I think out loud?"

Rinko tilted her head. "Something tells me, that's not the only reason..."

Ako blinked, not understanding what was going on. "Eh, what do you mean?"

"You don't think Yukina-san is upset because of Hikawa-san and Aoba-san?" She paused and lightly squeezed her arm. "I mean, it's a guess, so..."

"Oh, I see." Moca gave them a sad smile. "When I heard you guys play, it's a lot different from what I'm used to."

"That's fine," Lisa chuckled. "It's normal, you probably won't be able to perfect it so easily."

"Yeah, and I've been in a similar situation." Ako brought up, twirling her drumsticks. "You'll get there eventually, you need to get in touch with your dark side."

"Oh, you have dark powers?" Moca inquired out of curiosity.

"Fufufu, I've been holding my power back. If I were to release the dark aura from within..." Ako hesitated. "Something about the demons giving me strength..."

"It could potentially consume the world in an eternal night, right?" Rinko replied.

"Yeah, that's it, that sounds so cool!"

"Agreed," Moca added. Rinko turned away, her face flushed with red. "So, you're Ako-chi. I heard about you from Tomo-chin, she says you're not to mess with when it comes to music."

"Really? That's amazing!" Ako's face brightened up. "I want to be cool just like my onee-chan!"

Lisa perked up but almost forgot about something. "Girls, it's great that you're getting along so well, but Yukina wanted us to practice, remember?"

"That's right," Rinko responded. "Yukina-san would be upset if she saw us slacking off."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get back to it!"

.-.-.-.

Eventually, their long day of practice came to an end. But, time went by at an exponentially fast rate, none of the girls realized it. To Yukina and Moca's relief, practice wasn't as rough as the last time, but it wasn't the best either.

However, there was still no text from Sayo, the others grew deeply concerned, growing goosebumps as they left the scene in silence.

"So, want to go get something to eat?" Moca suggested.

"As much as I'd love to, I'm not in the mood." Lisa murmured. "I have somewhere I need to go to."

"Eh? Is it because of Hikawa-san? Are you going to visit her again?"

"Again? Has Sayo told you about it?"

"You already met Sayo-san?" Ako inquired.

"That must mean you already had her approval," Rinko added, a small guess.

"Hmm, maybe."

"M-maybe?"

"Ne, why don't I join you Lisa-san? In fact, why don't we all check up on Hikawa-san?"

"Um..." Rinko bit her lip. "She might be sleeping, are you sure it's a good idea to bother her?"

"Well, it wouldn't hurt," Lisa told them. "I'll text Hina to be safe; I'm sure she'll let us come over."

"Knowing Hina-senpai, she'd love to have company, what with her sister sick after all." Moca brought up.

Yukina nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

"Eh? You don't mind?"

"I don't mind coming along either. Hopefully, things go smoothly."

The girls agreed and headed out for the time being.

Another figure looked on at the scene from afar, having going for a short walk.

"Huh? Is that Moca? What's she doing there? And with... them?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't seen Moca interact with the other Roselia members yet, as far as I'm aware, so coming up with dialogue for them was difficult for me. On a side note, I can't believe we finally got to the band swap part and it's already been three chapters now! Sigh...


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please keep in mind, I wrote some of the scenes before the event 'Steadfast Pride, Piercing Sunset' came out on EN.

Moca and the girls of Roselia headed over to Sayo's house, after Lisa got the confirmation from her text. Hina was more than delighted to have them come over for a visit, like Lisa predicted she would.

The five girls opened the door and trudged in the entrance to the bedroom. Sayo didn't have her mask on, but had a washcloth resting on her head as she laid in bed. Sayo glanced up slightly and widened her eyes.

"You're here?"

"Hey, Sayo-san," Ako greeted, twiddling her fingers. "We were worried and wanted to check on you."

"You didn't have to, but I appreciate it nonetheless."

"Um, why didn't you text us how you were feeling before?" Rinko inquired, fidgeting.

"I didn't want you guys to worry about me." Sayo sighed reluctantly. "I'd hate to distract you while you're practicing."

"But we're not right now." Moca pointed out. "So, it should be good, right?"

"I still need to rest, you didn't have to check on me, especially at short notice."

"Eh? I thought you were ok with it."

"I also didn't want you to worry about me."

"But, you could've at least given us a short text." Rinko pointed out.

"Sayo, how are you doing right now?" Yukina asked, leaning over.

"Still tired and sore, I should recover soon."

"Hmm, do you have any idea when that soon would be?"

"Yukina?" Lisa questioned, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Is something on your mind?"

"I'm not sure. But, I had another reason for coming here. I wanted all of us to hear this."

"Huh?"

"I was thinking of calling it off,"

"Yukina-san, what are you saying?" Ako asked.

"We're probably better off declining the offer after all."

There was a pause, soon, everyone gasped, almost as if time had slowed down.

"Eh? Are you serious?! But we have plenty of time before-"

"If Sayo doesn't get better soon, we might not have as much time to practice together. How long has it been?"

"Yukina, think about this." Lisa told her. "This is Sayo we're talking about, she can always make up for it and practice-"

"Remember the last time she pushed herself?" Yukina insisted. "She strained herself and got sick."

"I admit I did a poor job on that part." Sayo admitted. "I'll do a better job on my pacing and time management next time."

"Sayo, what do you think?"

"I think you should give it time, I'll get better in due time."

"And if you can't?"

"Yukina, please don't pester her like that!" Lisa exclaimed.

"No, it's fine." Sayo told her. "I'll tell her."

"..."

"Future World Fes means a lot to you, so go perform without me."

"Out of the question." Yukina said bluntly. "I won't allow it."

The group stayed silent; nobody had any clue what to say as the awkward tension filled up. Moca hadn't known the full context of the situation, but she knew how tense the atmosphere would get in the way of practice. Wait, she had an idea on how to lighten up the mood, the Mocatastic way!

“Did something happen while Moca-chan wasn’t looking? Or are you all awed by my unique cuteness?" Everyone's eyes turned to her. "Well, never fear, for the great Moca-chan-kamisama will continue to offer her help for as long as it’s needed~!" The silver-haired girl continued without missing a beat. "Sayo-san should rest and get herself better, she can't do anything at this current state, and Moca-chan will keep your place warm for you, so when you get better, you can come back to the successful Roselia you know and love~!”

“Aoba-san...” Sayo murmured, her eyes widened.

“I know I know, you want to praise how great I am~! Moca-chan knows already, but I never get tired of hearing gratitude, so go ahead. Moca-chan-kamisama lives off compliments~!”

As the rest of the girls looked at each other, Yukina and Sayo exchanged worried glances. The girl with lavender hair cleared her throat before speaking.

"Look, I promised we'll go through this together, all five of us." Yukina assured her, after calming down. "Our music needs to be the best it can't be, it won't be the same without one of us."

"Minato-san, thank you for the kind words. I'll make sure I get better so you don't have to feel conflicted on what choice to make."

"We appreciate it. Sorry about the Outburst."

"It's fine, sorry for bringing you guys down like this."

"Don't worry, we know you'll improve and get well soon!" Ako replied.

"Thanks you guys."

As the group left, Lisa nudged at Moca's shoulder and gave her a wink and thumbs up. Moca smiled back at her.

.-.-.-.

One day, during lunch, Moca contemplated over what to have for lunch and where to have it. That was when her phone nearly startled her. She reached into her pockets, expecting Lisa to remind her about practice today. To her surprise, the message was from Ran.

"Hey."

_Oh, Ran doesn't usually text in general. This ought to be good._

"Oh, you want to talk to the great and powerful Moca-chan?"

"Yes."

"Aw, you didn't even comment about what I said before?"

"I did."

"Well, what's up?"

"If it's not too much trouble, could you meet me at the rooftop after school? There's something I want to talk to you about, but it needs to be just the two of us."

_No way, could it be? She couldn't..._

"Ran, is it possible that you're going to finally confess your feelings to me?"

It took Ran a while to respond. "What? It's got nothing to do with that!"

"Well, excuse me. So, what was it?"

"I'll go over the details later."

"Ok, see you then."

Moca decided to take the time to message Lisa ahead of time, letting her know she'll be late.

"I don't mind, I'll let the others know ahead of time. Don't stay too late, Moca."

_Got it, now to wait. And the plot thickens._

.-.-.-.

Eventually, school came to an end. Moca walked up to the highest floor of the school, where Ran awaited her by the rails. The sun set a yellow orange glow from behind the duo.

"Moca, I've been waiting." Ran greeted, as she turned to her.

"Yep, did I keep you waiting?" Moca asked, closing the door and walking over to the gate.

"A little, you sure took your time getting here."

"I was hoping to make a grand entrance, to keep you on your toes."

"Now, about earlier." Ran crossed her arms and muttered. "I was doing some errands when I noticed you from a distance."

"Eh? Were you spying on me?"

"No, that wasn't what I meant. I saw you yesterday... along with the members of Roselia."

Moca's heart dropped, but she still tried to keep her cool. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do. Tell me, what were you doing with our enemy?"

_Something's up, ever since yesterday, I can't stop thinking about it. Moca didn't have other errands, she had work at the convenience store off. She's hiding something, and I'm going to get to the bottom of things._

"Don't you mean your enemy? Nobody takes it as seriously as you do."

"That doesn't answer my question." Ran insisted, her glare hardening.

"You mean we can't hang out?"

"I don't think that's what happened. You left the studio with your instrument. We usually have solo practices at home."

Moca chuckled, her hands on her hips. "I was going undercover as a spy, a double agent if you will." She glanced at her friend. "You're interested in beating them, right?"

"I do, but I want to beat them fair and square. Besides, I don't believe you would do such a thing. That'd be low, even for you."

_Darn, I figured she wouldn't believe it._

"Tell me why you really did it."

Moca sighed, there was no getting out of this. She did want to tell her friends about it, but didn't have the time or energy to explain just yet. Moreover, she didn't know how they'd react. Thing is, she couldn't hide it from her any longer, it was bound to happen eventually.

"I decided to join Roselia, but only temporarily."

"When did you plan on telling us?"

"Eventually."

Ran's face contorted to a grimace. "Moca, why would you do that?"

"It's for... a friend of mine."

"Outside of our group? That's not a part of your business-"

"Listen here Ran!" Moca interrupted, taking Ran by surprise.

_Moca?_

Her eyes widened but she stayed silent.

Even Moca was caught off guard by her own tone of voice. But still, she kept going.

"You'd want to help a friend in need, even if they were outside your circle, right? Didn't you say you wanted to beat Roselia fair and square? How can you possibly do that if the band was down a member?"

Ran couldn't believe what she told her, she never imagined Moca getting so vocal about something before, not for a long time. Then again, Ran had no context clues of the situation going on, but considering the severe reaction on her silver-haired friend, it had to be something crucial. When was the last time Ran saw her in that state? If at all?

"Alright, I see your point."

"Look, I value our band, don't get me wrong, but please give me time to set things right."

"Ok, how much longer?"

"About a week from now. Then, I'll come back to Afterglow without question."

Ran paused, as she thought this over, before responding.

"Sounds good, but not a week more. Understand?"

"Yes, thank you."

_I may have gotten myself into this mess, but I intend to fix it and see things through._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm experiencing a bit of burnout with the story, plus I got other projects I got to take care of as well. So, I'm going to be wrapping the story up at some point. I know the contest is over, but I can still finish this, I don't want to cancel it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait...
> 
> But it's finally here!
> 
> Alright, I've been on a burnout, and had been busy, but this is it. The final chapter of this story has finally arrived. The Band swap challenge may be over, but that doesn't mean I can't post the last part. Hope you enjoy~

_Alright, this is it. This might be my only chance to get a glimpse of this. I know I shouldn't be doing this, but my curiosity is getting the better of me. I need to know._

Sayo took a stroll to get some fresh air, more importantly, to head to the Circle Studio for inspection. She trudged over to the door and slowly creaked it open. She took a peek inside and couldn't believe her eyes.

"Ehehe, I look pretty good." Moca chirped, her arms stretched wide.

She wore one of Roselia's older costumes, waiting for Rinko to take in the measurements for their next concert. The black-haired girl wrote things down on her notebook and did a few sketches on some designs that weren't official.

Ako rested on the floor, kicking her legs back and forth, staring in awe.

"Wow, you look so cool in that!"

"Oh, you think so?"

"I know so. Try a pose and say something cool."

"Um, maybe do that after I finish taking your measurements?" Rinko suggested.

"That's true." Moca added.

"Rinko, how's the costume design coming along?" Yukina walked over to her and asked.

"It's going well so far." Rinko showed her the sketches. "This is only a prototype of what I have so far. What do you think?"

"This looks impressive so far, you never fail to amaze us with these."

The others agreed without hesitation.

"Thank you, I'm happy to hear that from all of you."

"Ah, I see you're all doing well on your own." A voice spoke out of nowhere.

The group turned and gasped as Sayo walked into the room. She still had her mask on and had reddened eyes. "S-Sayo?!"

"Hello there everyone, hope I didn't interrupt you guys."

"No, not at all. I think." Ako said with uncertainty.

"Uh, I don't mean to be rude, but what are you doing here?" Rinko inquired, shuffling her feet.

Sayo sighed, then followed it up with a cough. "I know I shouldn't be out and about right now, but I'm starting to feel better, and wanted to check up on how you girls are doing."

"Ohh, curiosity got the better of you?" Moca asked. "Fufufu, you're about to witness some greatness from yours truly~."

"So Sayo, I take it you're still taking it slow for today?" Lisa guessed.

"Yeah, unfortunately, I still don't have the energy or stamina to play yet. So, I'll have to resort to watching for now, if you don't mind."

"Not at all!"

"Please pay no mind to me, I'll act like I'm not here while you practice."

"Alright, sounds good."

Sayo rested against the wall, watching the girls practice their hearts out. She could see the fires in their eyes as they grew more determined with each passing sequence. Sayo's heart skipped beats, she hadn't felt like it before in a long time.

This burning sensation felt exhilarating, even with a different member on board to practice alongside them, it didn't stop her teammates or slow them down from making the best performance they could.

Sayo couldn't help but feel restless, they did well without trouble, without her there. There wasn't anything she could about it, considering her illness, and she had gotten texts about how practice wasn't the same without them. Yukina even told her that. So, why did she feel this way?

_No, I said I wouldn't get in their way. I shouldn't feel this way, it'd be selfish of me. I'm just glad the group is doing fine practicing without having to worry about me. When I get better, I really need to practice and play catch up so I don't fall behind the rest of them._

Later today, the group took a break and relaxed, as Lisa took out small bags of cookies, much to Moca's delight.

"There's nothing quite like a light snack to give you that boost of energy!" Lisa said with a wink.

"Oh, Lisa-san, you're a life saver!" Moca cheered.

"Ahaha, I wouldn't go as far to say that. I'm glad you like them though."

"We can never get enough of your treats!" Ako exclaimed. "Right girls?"

Rinko and Yukina nodded.

"They're always delicious, I have to admit." Yukina looked away and muttered.

As the others enjoyed their delicacies Lisa walked over to Sayo and handed her a bag of sweets.

"Here you go Sayo, courtesy of me~."

"Thanks Imai-san, I'll save this for later, if you don't mind."

"Don't mention it, get well soon!"

At a later date during break, Yukina took out sheets of papers as the group went over which songs to perform at the concert.

"Everyone, if you have a moment, " Yukina proclaimed.

"I was thinking about including these songs, but I wanted to know about your opinions on the matter."

"I think they're all great ideas!" Ako exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air. "I have no objections here."

"Moca, what do you think?" Lisa asked, out of curiosity.

"Eh? I can also throw my two cents on this?"

"Of course, as of now, you're still an honorary member of Roselia. So, why not hear your input as well?"

"Ok!" Moca hurried over to take a closer look at the set list. There, a variety of songs plastered on the sheets of paper. "Oh, these all sound interesting, it does make it hard to choose."

"I know, right?" Ako added. "They're all amazing, especially when you hear them for yourself."

"I'll take your word for it." As Moca scanned the names, one song in particular crossed her mind. "Sunkissed Rhodonite?"

"Ah, that's one of my favorites." Lisa chirped.

"That sounds like a good one to play. You can play it first or save it for last."

"Sunkissed Rhodonite for the Sunkissed International Festival."

"That's a pretty good idea." Rinko said with a smile.

"I agree it's an interesting idea." Yukina added. "Thanks for the suggestion Aoba-san, we'll keep that in mind."

Moca giggled as her face flushed with red. "Minato-san is happy with me. Everyone is, yay~."

.-.-.-.

Another day or two had passed since that day. Moca entered Circle studio to reserve a solo room to practice, when she came across Lisa and Sayo by the counter. Sayo didn't have her mask on anymore, and her eyes were crystal clear again.

"Lisa-san, hello!" Moca chirped. "Oh, Sayo-san too? You're feeling better!"

"Moca, hey!" Lisa turned to her friend and waved at her.

"Aoba-san, good to see you." Sayo said in her cool demeanor. "I'm doing alright, but yes, I'm here to make up for lost time. Are you also here for practice?"

"Well," Moca thought about it briefly before responding. "I was going to, but seeing you're back to normal, my work here is done."

"What do you mean? Do you not practice here by yourself for your band?"

"No, no, we usually always practice together."

"I see, that's pretty admirable, I must say."

Lisa couldn't help but smile, seeing her friends get along so well, despite the 'rivalry' between them.

_Aww, your true colors are showing. She thought. The other two stared at her, looking like she had something to say._

"Ah, it's nothing, I thought of a funny joke."

"Ohh, hopefully you guys can knock it out of the park at the concert." Moca told them.

"Of course, that's what we intend to do." Sayo replied with confidence.

"We'll let you know how it goes once the concert ends!" Lisa advised with a wink.

"If you want, I don't mind either way!"

The group started going their separate ways, when Sayo stood in place.

"Aoba-san, wait."

"Huh?" Moca stopped and turned around. "Couldn't get enough of the adorable Moca-chan?"

"If you don't mind, there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh, I'm intrigued."

_Hope I didn't do anything wrong to upset her._

"I just want to say thank you for taking my place when I was absent. I could tell the others were more lively and got more stuff done, by what Imai-san told me."

"Ehehe, go on. Moca-chan is pleased with your compliments. Any other offerings you'd like to share?"

"Not that I know of, but I appreciate you helping us, despite us being rivals."

"Don't mention it, glad I was able to be of service. I'd love to play alongside you guys someday."

"Same here," Sayo said with a smile. "It's been an honor."

_Even though an Afterglow member practiced alongside them, it still felt like the same as it had always been._

.-.-.-.

Eventually, the concert day had come and gone. Moca and Lisa worked at the convenience store, as the latter showed the former released footage of the concert.

"Whoa, you guys are so cool." Moca chirped.

"Yeah, it was partially thanks to you." Lisa pointed out.

"Eh? I didn't do much though."

"What are you talking about? Did you forget about what you did for us?" Lisa inquired. "You motivated us to go back to practicing seriously!"

"Well, if you say so."

"I can't believe you..." Lisa crossed her arms and still smiled.

"Ohh, how'd it go? Did you make it?"

"Ahaha, that's a secret. I may not be sure, but I'm definitely confident we made it."

"What?" Moca spoke with a scowl. "After what I did for you? No fair~."

"Oh, so you do remember?"

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"But in all seriousness, thanks for what you did back then. You have no idea how grateful we are for your contribution, even if they don't want to admit it."

Moca's lit up as those words stuck out in her mind. It was all worth it, just to see Lisa happy again. Hopefully, she would never forget this day.

.-.-.-.

The members of Afterglow met in Tsugumi's cafe and exchanged pleasantries and relaxed. The band swapping mishap finally came to an end, and Moca couldn't be happier, even though she set up the groups to their status quos.

"Eh? You mean you already knew?" Moca questioned.

"Yeah, did you forget that I have a sister whose a part of the band?" Tomoe replied.

"Ah yeah, she loves to talk about what happens in Roselia." Himari brought up.

Tomoe laughed. "Of course, you know it."

"I should've known." Moca pouted.

"I wish I was informed about it sooner..." Ran muttered. "That meant you had no idea to hide it from us."

"Do you guys think we'll see them again?" Tsugumi asked.

"I'm sure we will in due time." Ran replied. "When that happens, we'll be there."

"Alright, let's get back to practicing with the five of us, starting tomorrow!" Himari exclaimed. "Hey, hey, hoh!" Everyone stayed silent. "Eh? Aw, come on you guys!"

The group laughed. Moca was satisfied with herself. Both bands are in even ground now, and can take a breather, and practice on their terms, until they meet up again.

Ran glanced at Moca with a smile. "But in all seriousness, welcome back Moca."

Moca giggled, a small shade of red spread on her cheeks.

"Ehehe, it's good to be back~."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize greatly. I had a lot on my plate and haven't been feeling the best. I have plans for more stories to write, but I wanted to get this finally off my chest.
> 
> Sorry for rushing the conclusion too. I didn't know how else to end this story.
> 
> Thank you for reading and thanks for your patience and understanding~

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if this wasn't the most exciting, I wanted to build the story up. It also turned out to be longer than I thought, but wanted to implement a cliffhanger in there somewhere...


End file.
